Energy storage developer Anesco has received planning approval from Aberdeenshire Council to build its first battery storage project in Scotland.
The 50 megawatt (MW) project will be built close to the village of Rothienorman, north of Inverurie.
The site is the company’s first north of the border and forms part of its portfolio of more than 440MW of new solar and storage projects currently at the planning or ready to build stage in the UK.
Situated on low grade agricultural land, the site lies in close proximity to the Rothienorman substation and once complete will comprise of 15 rows of batteries.
Work on the development is expected to get underway next year and to be completed in early 2024.
The installation will have a lifespan of 40 years, after which time the land will be returned to its natural state.
Anesco says it intends to make “significant ecological enhancements”, in pursuit of a net gain on biodiversity of almost 50%.
This includes planting of native trees along boundaries and down the length of the east side of the build site and the creation of a wildflower meadow. The remainder of the site will also be retained for agricultural use.
Once operational, the battery will offer flexibility services to National Grid, helping balance energy supply and demand and enabling more renewable energy to be stored and used when needed.
Anesco chief executive Mark Futyan said: “We’re delighted to receive approval for the Rothienorman battery site. Energy storage has a vital role to play in the UK’s transition energy network, providing the flexibility needed to support the growing number of clean power sources.
“As with all our sites, biodiversity is a key focus and we will be making significant improvements designed to support local wildlife throughout the lifetime of the project.”
The project is the latest in a series of developments set to be deployed across Scotland and the UK, as energy storage plays an increasingly important role in balancing electricity supply and demand.
That includes major plans by Amp Energy to build a Scottish Green Battery Complex – comprised of two of the largest battery storage facilities in Europe at strategically located sites in Hunterston on the Ayrshire coast, and Kincardine, north of Grangemouth on the river Forth.
These will consist of two 400-MW battery facilities, each providing 800 megawatt-hours (MWhr) of storage capacity and helping to ease transmission congestion more cost-effectively than major upgrades to infrastructure.
